.net addin - final stages

[NachoShaw]

Hi

I have made various tools now for my inventor in .net. I have followed many guides but what seems to lack most is how to get your addin into inventor.

How do I change it to a dll
How do I create the ribbon buttons and link images

Is them any documentation that describes this part? My apps are windows forms applications and I can change them to class objects quite easily which I believe is what I need to do but the ribbon association is the most important / difficult part.

Can anybody direct me to a good resource?


Thanks

Nigel

[mslosar]

If you're using the templates that come with inventor, then it's a matter of making sure your paths are right in visual studio and hitting the build button.

That generates the dll and addin file.

The addin file is a text file that goes under c:\program data\autodesk\inventor 2013\addins (or something close to that path as it's from memory)

The addin file also has a line telling inventor where the dll you created resides, for example C:\MyAddins. Put your dll in that folder and on next run, Inventor will load the addin file see it's pointing to MyAddins and then load the dll file specified.

[NachoShaw]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realise that inventor itself came with templates. I downloaded and installed the developer tools a while ago but haven't found templates in there either. I downloaded a template file from autodesk which is what I used.

The template helps me connect to inventor but not listed in the addins as the we page described. Currently, I changed my app to a windows form so that I could see it running and check for errors.

Any chance you could post or send the template file you refer to? I could transfer everything over and build from there.

Your help is appreciated 🙂 I'll send you a copy of my finished tool foc 🙂 it creates drawing sheets for each part in an assembly with view selection options and a choice between an assembly drawing layout and job pack / shop floor layouts with other cool functions 🙂



Cheers

[NachoShaw]

Hi

i found the wizard installer (which i apparently missed when i looked before lol). i tried to install it but it says that it cant find visual studio. i have visual studio express. Would you by chance be able to send the template file that gets installed so that i can use that?

Thanks

Nigel

[NachoShaw]

Hi

i have the file extracted and i am using the same inventor addin. however, when i build my app as a class into a dll, nothing gets registered into the 'Addins' part of inventor as documentation and videos suggest. therefore, what could i be doing wrong?

This highlighted file

was NOT a part of my original Inventor project template. i copied it into my file but couldnt reference it as i got an error. Can anyone give me a bit of advice please?

Thanks

Nigel

[NachoShaw]

Hi

the text inside the addin is as follows-

<Addin Type="Standard">
  <!--Created for Autodesk Inventor Version 17.0-->
  <ClassId>{$guid1$}</ClassId>
  <ClientId>{$guid1$}</ClientId>
  <DisplayName>$safeprojectname$</DisplayName>
  <Description>$safeprojectname$</Description>
  <Assembly>$safeprojectname$.dll</Assembly>
  <LoadOnStartUp>1</LoadOnStartUp>
  <UserUnloadable>1</UserUnloadable>
  <Hidden>0</Hidden>
  <SupportedSoftwareVersionGreaterThan>16..</SupportedSoftwareVersionGreaterThan>
  <DataVersion>1</DataVersion>
  <UserInterfaceVersion>1</UserInterfaceVersion>
</Addin>

 what line do you refer to when you say this?-

QUOTE

The addin file also has a line telling inventor where the dll you created resides, for example C:\MyAddins. Put your dll in that folder and on next run, Inventor will load the addin file see it's pointing to MyAddins and then load the dll file specified.

Thanks

[NachoShaw · Accepted solution]

Hi

i have figured this out now 🙂

Thanks